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Jan 27, 2013
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a trio of perpetrators who treat the united states treasury as if it were a cash-and-carry annex of corporate america. the "times" story described how amgen got a huge hidden gift from unnamed members of congress and their staffers. they slipped an eleventh hour loophole into the new year's eve deal that kept the government from going over the fiscal cliff. and when the sun rose in the morning, there it was, a richly embroidered loophole for amgen that will cost taxpayers -- that's you and me -- a cool half a billion dollars. yes, half a billion dollars. amgen is the world's largest biotechnology firm, a drug manufacturer that sells a variety of medications. the little clause secretly sneaked into the fiscal cliff bill gives the company two more years of relief from medicare cost controls for certain drugs used by patients on kidney dialysis. the provision didn't mention amgen by name, but according to reporters lipton and sack, the news that it had been tucked into the fiscal cliff deal "was so welcome that the company's chief executive quickly relayed it to investment analysts." tipping the
a trio of perpetrators who treat the united states treasury as if it were a cash-and-carry annex of corporate america. the "times" story described how amgen got a huge hidden gift from unnamed members of congress and their staffers. they slipped an eleventh hour loophole into the new year's eve deal that kept the government from going over the fiscal cliff. and when the sun rose in the morning, there it was, a richly embroidered loophole for amgen that will cost taxpayers -- that's...
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Jan 24, 2013
01/13
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why does that define the united states senate? it seems to me the senate was defined in the constitution where we have two senators from every state, small and large. where we're elected every six years, not every two. where the senate has certain functions on treaties, on nominations. and that the house of representatives doesn't have them. and where the constitution is very clear, there are five times when the senate must have a supermajority to act. again, i would point out that the senate will by its very nature, even under my reform proposal or that by mr. udall or mr. merkley would still operate based on unanimous consent. and each senator will continue to understand that maintaining good relationships with all senators, working hard to become experts on issues will remain the essence of what it means to be a senator. not the ability to filibuster. so to those who say we'll become more like the house, i say, no, that's not going to happen. you say well it could. well, sure it could. some future senate could wipe out all the
why does that define the united states senate? it seems to me the senate was defined in the constitution where we have two senators from every state, small and large. where we're elected every six years, not every two. where the senate has certain functions on treaties, on nominations. and that the house of representatives doesn't have them. and where the constitution is very clear, there are five times when the senate must have a supermajority to act. again, i would point out that the senate...
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Jan 25, 2013
01/13
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states senate requires a supermajority of 60 votes in order to pass. that did not get fixed today. it got changed. but it doesn't seem to have been fixed. joining us now is democratic senator sherrod brown of ohio. senator brown, thank you for being here. i appreciate your being willing to talk to us about this. >> sure. of course. >> am i wrong to think that there's not going to be a big change to what we've come to accept as normal, which is republicans requiring a 60-vote supermajority on everything in the senate? >> i think you were generally right. i think that there will be -- i mean, the steps -- we didn't do as much as many of us wanted to do. i think it's small progress. i think it will -- the senate will be -- will work a little better than it did. won't move we've sent the bill over and bills and some bills that would move the country forward that have died there even though they could have a majority. so we are going to keep the pressure on in the senate. this time it was in writing if the progress isn't significant. working with a group of
states senate requires a supermajority of 60 votes in order to pass. that did not get fixed today. it got changed. but it doesn't seem to have been fixed. joining us now is democratic senator sherrod brown of ohio. senator brown, thank you for being here. i appreciate your being willing to talk to us about this. >> sure. of course. >> am i wrong to think that there's not going to be a big change to what we've come to accept as normal, which is republicans requiring a 60-vote...
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Jan 31, 2013
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anytime you've got 36 united states senators who voted down sandy relief a couple days ago, you know that something has fundamentally changed about the way that republicans talk about government. so i think it's too early to say that they're dead, but all the things dana points to are good signs and signs of some kind of sanity seeping in. >> and dana, maybe it's all in a name. because i think what continues on for sure is this conservative domination particularly in republican primaries. i mean, here you've got mitch mcconnell being threatened now in kentucky and next year's election from the right. >> right. and the tea party's never really been an organized political force. and i'us shorthand for the r ting the pay right now. and as i point out in the column, that force really isn't going anywhere because of the redistricting, because of the way things are structured in the house. and because of this primary system. we also have saxby chambliss bowing out rather than face a primary challenge. the element of the party is going to be dominant for some time to come. is the tea party
anytime you've got 36 united states senators who voted down sandy relief a couple days ago, you know that something has fundamentally changed about the way that republicans talk about government. so i think it's too early to say that they're dead, but all the things dana points to are good signs and signs of some kind of sanity seeping in. >> and dana, maybe it's all in a name. because i think what continues on for sure is this conservative domination particularly in republican primaries....
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Jan 25, 2013
01/13
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states senate through abusing the rules. >> it looks like there are going to be a number of -- many more filibusters on motions to proceed. do you think -- do you have any plans to change the filibuster? >> yes, i do. i've said so publicly, and i continue to feel that way. i think that the rules have been abused and that we're going to work to change them. >> first press conference, day after the election, harry reid saying that going forward things are going to change. specifically, this was going to change. the de facto rule that republicans have gerrymandered in the senate for lack of a better term that pretty much everything requires 60 votes to pass now. that has never been how things have worked in this country. i mean, constitutionally it takes a supermajority to impeach a president or ratify a treaty or amend the constitution but not to pass an ordinary bill. ordinary bill passage should overmany discounts to thine customers! [old english accent] safe driver, multi-car, paid in full -- a most fulsome bounty indeed, lord jamie. i feel good about it getting through the senate.
states senate through abusing the rules. >> it looks like there are going to be a number of -- many more filibusters on motions to proceed. do you think -- do you have any plans to change the filibuster? >> yes, i do. i've said so publicly, and i continue to feel that way. i think that the rules have been abused and that we're going to work to change them. >> first press conference, day after the election, harry reid saying that going forward things are going to change....
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Jan 25, 2013
01/13
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states senate. sometimes when people want quick action now, those people were disappointed but if you believe in evolutional or gradual change as president obama sometimes does, you would end up taking that half or a third of a loaf. >> okay. so progressives, though, certainly have not had a good time hearing about this and specifically coming out and being very stern in reaction to harry reid. take a listen to rachel maddow. >> wow, harry reid, yeah. this is the day everybody was looking forward to in terms of changing how the senate operate and if you hear sad trombones, that's why. after the months, years of promises this time he was going to do it. but hey. at least we'll be able to see them get nothing done faster now. >> all right. so i had a chance to talk with ed schultz in hi hour disappointed saying if it's up to mitch mcconnell he would have done this in a hot minute and left harry reid in the dust to make it happen. >> that's the argument of progressives. the counter argument is not just
states senate. sometimes when people want quick action now, those people were disappointed but if you believe in evolutional or gradual change as president obama sometimes does, you would end up taking that half or a third of a loaf. >> okay. so progressives, though, certainly have not had a good time hearing about this and specifically coming out and being very stern in reaction to harry reid. take a listen to rachel maddow. >> wow, harry reid, yeah. this is the day everybody was...
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Jan 26, 2013
01/13
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states senate and congress, when he offered the iranian freedom and security act. the syrian accountability act. those were not just since things have percolateed in the arab spring. those were well in advance. he knows more about the interactions between mahmoud ahmadinejad and chavez than any of our politician. so in terms of who or enemy is and where the war is being fought, he was at the first one to use the term islamo fascist. but he was told he can't use the term. in christianity we have people who handle snakes and speak in tongues and people who might show up on easter and christmas. that whole realm of christianity is the same in islam. the simon wiesenthal in l.a. -- received an award for holding a conference in indonesia that brought imams and survivors from the holocaust, and it was on the newspaper, if my friend ahmadinejad says the holocaust didn't exist, i call him a liar. so you can look at the friends of america who are muslims and you look at the enemy who are trying to take the united states and replace it with sharia law. a young medical lieute
states senate and congress, when he offered the iranian freedom and security act. the syrian accountability act. those were not just since things have percolateed in the arab spring. those were well in advance. he knows more about the interactions between mahmoud ahmadinejad and chavez than any of our politician. so in terms of who or enemy is and where the war is being fought, he was at the first one to use the term islamo fascist. but he was told he can't use the term. in christianity we have...
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Jan 27, 2013
01/13
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had a long -- he's seen -- he's seen the united states senate and the presidency for a number of years. he's seen many relationships between presidents and leaders of the opposite party. he knows how this place works. my sense of the republican leader and of the large majority of us is that we would like to see a result. we'd like to see a result on this very tough issue of saving social security, saving medicare, saving medicaid, saving these programs that seniors depend on, and i wonder if the republican leader would agree with me that despite the fact that we engage every day in political matters, that we have big differences of opinions, that on this issue, without presidential leadership, we can't get a result and that there are a lot of us on both sides of the aisle who are ready to work with the president to fix the debt. mr. mcconnell: well, i tell you, my friend from tennessee, in many ways, it's a statement of the obvious but a lot of people forget it. there is only one person in america out of 307 million americans who can sign something into law. and only one person in amer
had a long -- he's seen -- he's seen the united states senate and the presidency for a number of years. he's seen many relationships between presidents and leaders of the opposite party. he knows how this place works. my sense of the republican leader and of the large majority of us is that we would like to see a result. we'd like to see a result on this very tough issue of saving social security, saving medicare, saving medicaid, saving these programs that seniors depend on, and i wonder if...
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Jan 30, 2013
01/13
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but just two years later he was elected to the united states senate. he served in the senate for five terms. he's had -- he's always been an unflinching advocate for veterans. he helped found the vietnam veterans for america. he's helped to secure treatment for service members dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. he's deserved six years in the senate intelligence committee and 28 years on the foreign relations committee. he's been a leading advocate of doing something about global climate change. senator kerry has convened eight major hearings and round tables on the one hand climate change since taking the gavel as chair of the foreign relations committee, replacing vice president biden. it was in the early 1990's that senator kerry's brilliant mind and exceptional dedication came to my attention. i had the good fortune of being chosen by leader mitchell to be a member of the collect select e on p.o.w.-mia. it was the believe of many that there were live americans either in cambodia, laos, many in vietnam. we hadn't done as much as many people
but just two years later he was elected to the united states senate. he served in the senate for five terms. he's had -- he's always been an unflinching advocate for veterans. he helped found the vietnam veterans for america. he's helped to secure treatment for service members dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. he's deserved six years in the senate intelligence committee and 28 years on the foreign relations committee. he's been a leading advocate of doing something about global...
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Jan 24, 2013
01/13
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good friend of senators. thank you for coming. the question is about europe and the united states. those two areas have different views about current policy of the israeli government and there seems to be a lot of stress in that relationship. can you comment about that? >> it is one issue i had to deal with in germany. in the audience, my deputy chief in lane, good friend of several of us, works on my staff. knows a lot more about these questions than i do and which he was up here instead of me. that is a really good question. i don't know -- the relationship between america and george w. bush was very solid. my mind drifted. your question was the israelis. i am sorry. time for a refill on my coffee. many, many discussions with the germans relative to their position, relative to our position and the israeli issue. public sentiment in germany as a whole is strongly for a reconciliation for the palestinians, yeah overlying all of that is the residue of the holocaust. i think i can say this. i have a private discussion with the foreign minister on this topic and it had to do with iran
good friend of senators. thank you for coming. the question is about europe and the united states. those two areas have different views about current policy of the israeli government and there seems to be a lot of stress in that relationship. can you comment about that? >> it is one issue i had to deal with in germany. in the audience, my deputy chief in lane, good friend of several of us, works on my staff. knows a lot more about these questions than i do and which he was up here instead...
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Jan 29, 2013
01/13
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about the united states senate. >> insane city. his book about the senate. >> the what did you learn today? >> i learned today that my brother-in-law tom, toughest guy i know going through a tough time right now. love you tommy. >> what kind of tough time? >> he got his first day of chemoyesterday. here's to you, buddy. >> that leads me to tell you what i've learned today is what you should learn each day. be grateful for your health. if you've got your health, you've got about everything. you know it's way too early but right now actually time for chuck todd. take it away. >> president obama heads west to lay out his vision for an immigration overhaul. the presidential push comes at the same time as a break out of bipartisanship in the senate and his support for their effort could make this happen even faster than anyone could have dreamed. get it, oo dreamed? later this hour with just three days left on the job, secretary of state hillary clinton holds' town hall to talking with young people around the world but no one specs a qu
about the united states senate. >> insane city. his book about the senate. >> the what did you learn today? >> i learned today that my brother-in-law tom, toughest guy i know going through a tough time right now. love you tommy. >> what kind of tough time? >> he got his first day of chemoyesterday. here's to you, buddy. >> that leads me to tell you what i've learned today is what you should learn each day. be grateful for your health. if you've got your...
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Jan 24, 2013
01/13
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, but republican senators were still obsessed with one detail -- united nations ambassador susan rice and her description of the attack on september 16th. tea party senator ron johnson of wisconsin grilled secretary clinton over something she had nothing to do with. >> do you disagree with me that a simple phone call to those evacuees to determine what happened would have ascertained immediately that there was no protest? i mean, that was a piece of information that could have been easily, easily obtained. >> well, but senator -- >> within hours, if not days. >> senator, i, you know, when you're in these positions, the last thing you want to do is interfere with any other process going on. >> i realize that's a good excuse. >> number two -- well, no, it's the fact. >> no answer was good enough for senator johnson. eventually secretary clinton had enough. >> we were misled that there was supposedly protests and then something sprang out of that, an assault sprang out of that. and that was easily ascertained that that was not the fact and the american people could have known that within
, but republican senators were still obsessed with one detail -- united nations ambassador susan rice and her description of the attack on september 16th. tea party senator ron johnson of wisconsin grilled secretary clinton over something she had nothing to do with. >> do you disagree with me that a simple phone call to those evacuees to determine what happened would have ascertained immediately that there was no protest? i mean, that was a piece of information that could have been...
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Jan 24, 2013
01/13
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so my hope is this the president and his advisors look at the united states senate, d.c. number one, a willingness to solve the problem of fixing the data in a bipartisan way. i get the feeling they don't believe that about us. i don't know what else we can do to cause them to believe that. there's not the same kind of comfortable relationship back and forth that there should be. i've heard some people say well, the johnson derksen days was inching his jury. that is ancient history. madam president, human nature doesn't change. not in 50 years, not 100 years, not 500 years. there's plenty of good will here the isle, on the side of the aisle at the beginning of this term to work with a newly enough to reprint that to say we're ready to fix the data. provide the leadership. no great crisis as ever result of presidential leadership in your the president. you're the only one who can layout the plan. and we'll consider it, amend it, argue, change it passÉ. but now we can get onto the president's agenda about what should have a difference of opinion. but he'll go down in histo
so my hope is this the president and his advisors look at the united states senate, d.c. number one, a willingness to solve the problem of fixing the data in a bipartisan way. i get the feeling they don't believe that about us. i don't know what else we can do to cause them to believe that. there's not the same kind of comfortable relationship back and forth that there should be. i've heard some people say well, the johnson derksen days was inching his jury. that is ancient history. madam...
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Jan 24, 2013
01/13
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go ahead and gather your buddies, nugent, but you should know the united states military uses few horses and bayonets these days. living with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis means living with pain. it could also mean living with joint damage. humira, adalimumab, can help treat more than just the pain. for many adults, humira is clinically proven to help relieve pain and stop further joint damage. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal events, such as infections, lymphoma, or other types of cancer, have happened. blood, liver and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure have occurred. before starting humira, your doctor should test you for tb. ask your doctor if you live in or have been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. tell your doctor if you have had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections or have symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, or sores. you should not start humira if you have any kind of infection. ask your rheumatologist about humira, to h
go ahead and gather your buddies, nugent, but you should know the united states military uses few horses and bayonets these days. living with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis means living with pain. it could also mean living with joint damage. humira, adalimumab, can help treat more than just the pain. for many adults, humira is clinically proven to help relieve pain and stop further joint damage. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious,...
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Jan 30, 2013
01/13
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earlier today, the united states senate voted overwhelmingly to confirm senator john kerry as our next secretary of state. only three republican senators voted no. >> mr. cruz, no. mr. cornyn, no. mr. inhofe, no. >> john cornyn and ted cruz opposed john kerry's confirmation, and of course oklahoma senator james inhofe voted no. we should point out that senator inhofe is terrible at flying airplanes but great at denying the science of global warming there is no reason they should have voted against john kerry's confirmation. he is without a doubt the most qualified person to be our next secretary of state. john kerry has served on the senate foreign relations committee for, let's see, 28 years? in the last four as chairman, as has served four years of the united states navy including active duty in the vietnam war. he has run for president, kind of knows what is happening. and he also already has travelled the globe on behalf of the obama administration, helping mend strained relations with afghanistan and pakistan. during kerry's nomination, president obama called him the perfect perso
earlier today, the united states senate voted overwhelmingly to confirm senator john kerry as our next secretary of state. only three republican senators voted no. >> mr. cruz, no. mr. cornyn, no. mr. inhofe, no. >> john cornyn and ted cruz opposed john kerry's confirmation, and of course oklahoma senator james inhofe voted no. we should point out that senator inhofe is terrible at flying airplanes but great at denying the science of global warming there is no reason they should...
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Jan 30, 2013
01/13
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states senate. happened late this afternoon. he's the next secretary of state. in fact, he is secretary of state. the vote was 94-3. the only no votes came from both texas senators john cornyn and ted cruz and oklahoma's james inhofe. what a trio that is. the foreign relations committee, which kerry chaired for the past four years, voted for him unanimously. tomorrow massachusetts governor duvall patrick is expected to name kerry's replacement to the senate. that will be a big headline, the new senator from massachusetts. we'll be right back. emergency we trust duracell...?? duralock power preserve. locks in power for up to 10 years in storage. now...guaranteed. duracell with duralock. trusted everywhere. duracell with duralock. [ female announcer ] some people like to pretend a flood could never happen to them. and that their homeowners insurance protects them. [ thunder crashes ] it doesn't. stop pretending. only flood insurance covers floods. ♪ visit floodsmart.gov/pretend to learn your risk. t
states senate. happened late this afternoon. he's the next secretary of state. in fact, he is secretary of state. the vote was 94-3. the only no votes came from both texas senators john cornyn and ted cruz and oklahoma's james inhofe. what a trio that is. the foreign relations committee, which kerry chaired for the past four years, voted for him unanimously. tomorrow massachusetts governor duvall patrick is expected to name kerry's replacement to the senate. that will be a big headline, the new...
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Jan 25, 2013
01/13
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geoff americamerkley has emerged as a strong leader in the united states senate in his first term. we tried to get him on the show in studio today but he is back in oregon and he wasn't able to make it in, because i want to give him as much exposure as possible. and he's -- he's become the real leader on this issue, and he's not going to -- geoff merkley is not presenting this as a good deal. geoff merkley knows they could have gotten rid defendant filibuster. they could have done major, major reform. instead, we get this piece of nonsense from harry reid and mitch mcconnell. >> this is the full court press: "the bill press show," live on your radio and on current tv. [ music ] >> only on current tv. event. >> it doesn't anymore real than this. >> current's award winning original series is back with an all-new episode straight from the headlines. in the minefield of the nation's gun control debate, this could be the most polarizing issue. >> anybody could claim "stand your ground" and they can get away with murder. >> only on current tv. these talking points, that the right have, a
geoff americamerkley has emerged as a strong leader in the united states senate in his first term. we tried to get him on the show in studio today but he is back in oregon and he wasn't able to make it in, because i want to give him as much exposure as possible. and he's -- he's become the real leader on this issue, and he's not going to -- geoff merkley is not presenting this as a good deal. geoff merkley knows they could have gotten rid defendant filibuster. they could have done major, major...
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Jan 30, 2013
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. >>> as i mentioned john kerry has now been confirmed by the united states senate. happened late this afternoon. he's the next secretary of state. in fact, he is secretary of state. the vote was 94-3. the only no votes came from both texas senators john cornyn and ted cruz and oklahoma's james inhofe. what a trio that is. the foreign relations committee, which kerry chaired for the past four years, voted for him unanimously. tomorrow massachusetts governor duvall patrick is expected to name kerry's replacement to the senate. that will be a big headline, the new senator from massachusetts. we'll be right back. u are a bus. executor of efficiency. you can spot an amateur from a mile away... while going shoeless and metal-free in seconds. and you...rent from national. because only national lets you choose any car in the aisle...and go. you can even take a full-size or above, and still pay the mid-size price. now this...will work. [ male announcer ] just like you, business pro. just like you. go national. go like a pro. thor gets great rewards for his small business! yo
. >>> as i mentioned john kerry has now been confirmed by the united states senate. happened late this afternoon. he's the next secretary of state. in fact, he is secretary of state. the vote was 94-3. the only no votes came from both texas senators john cornyn and ted cruz and oklahoma's james inhofe. what a trio that is. the foreign relations committee, which kerry chaired for the past four years, voted for him unanimously. tomorrow massachusetts governor duvall patrick is expected...
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Jan 29, 2013
01/13
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these are really three very fine additions to the united states senate. and in the case of senator klobuchar and senator coons, they're two respected members on the senate judiciary committee and senator rubio, who in my view is one of the most knowledgeable senators we have on immigration policy and as you can see, a terrific leader in so many other way, we send a strong message that both sides of the aisle can come together to craft bipartisan legislation to address one of our country's most urgent economic needs. yesterday eight of our colleagues unveiled a framework to overhaul our nation's immigration system. i'm proud of them. i commend them for their willingness to work in a bipartisan way to reform our immigration laws. it's very much needed and one of the leaders is our own senator rubio, as well as senator schumer and senator mccain, and others as well, but i hate to not mention -- but i think you get the point. similarly, the work that senators klobuchar, rubio, coons, and i have done in crafting the i-squared act of 2013 was no easy task and r
these are really three very fine additions to the united states senate. and in the case of senator klobuchar and senator coons, they're two respected members on the senate judiciary committee and senator rubio, who in my view is one of the most knowledgeable senators we have on immigration policy and as you can see, a terrific leader in so many other way, we send a strong message that both sides of the aisle can come together to craft bipartisan legislation to address one of our country's most...
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Jan 28, 2013
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states senate. well, this administration, i'm sorry to say, has not respected that checks and balances as i would hoped it would. i would suggest maybe a retreat to mount vernon for president obama and the white house staff. the obama administration has appointed more czars than the romonovs. we've always had some czars, such as the drug czar, but they have three dozen, three dozen who aren't subject to the usual restrictions that we -- that we have through the appropriations process. and the most blatant example of the imperial presidency are the recess appointments at a time when the senate, according to this court, was not in recess in order to put on to those positions men and women with whom the senate would not agree. if the president could do what the president did on january 4, 2012, on a regular basis, we might take a recess break for lunch and come back and find we have a new supreme court justice. so, mr. president, i'm here to suggest that the right thing to do would be to respect the tr
states senate. well, this administration, i'm sorry to say, has not respected that checks and balances as i would hoped it would. i would suggest maybe a retreat to mount vernon for president obama and the white house staff. the obama administration has appointed more czars than the romonovs. we've always had some czars, such as the drug czar, but they have three dozen, three dozen who aren't subject to the usual restrictions that we -- that we have through the appropriations process. and the...